Answers to Frequently Asked Questions About...

Types of Emergency Contraception

Which birth control pills can be
used for emergency contraception in the United States?

In the U.S., progestin-only EC is available on the shelf without age restrictions to women and men. Look for Plan B One-Step, Take Action, Next Choice One-Dose, My Way or other generics in the family planning aisle.

There are nearly two dozen brands of pills that can be used for emergency
contraception in the United States today. Several products are specifically approved and marketed here as emergency contraceptive pills:

Progestin-only EC (like Plan B One-Step and its generic forms Take Action, Next Choice One Dose and My Way) are approved for unrestricted sale on store shelves. Anyone can buy it without needing to show ID. Plan B One-Step usually costs about $40-$50, and the generics cost about $35-$45.

If you want to use insurance to purchase EC, go to the pharmacy counter and ask for help.

You can order a generic form of Plan B One-Step at www.afterpill.com for $20 + $5 shipping. This site does not offer expedited shipping, so it's not meant for emergency use, but you can stock up and keep it on hand for future use.

ella is sold by prescription only, regardless of age. You can also order ella through an online

You can also use a different dose of a number of brands
of regular birth control pills. While these are not sold specifically
as emergency contraceptive
pills, they have been proven safe and effective for preventing
pregnancy in the few days after sex. These daily birth
control pills contain two hormones, progestin
and estrogen, and are taken in two doses. You take the first dose as soon
as possible (up to 120 hours after you have sex without using birth control, your birth control
failed, or you were made to have sex against your will. You take the second dose 12
hours later (although being an hour or two early
or late probably won’t make a difference in how effective
the pills are).

Emergency contraceptive
pills have no long-term or serious side effects, and it is safe for almost every woman to use them.

Here are some other things to know about taking emergency contraceptive
pills:

Don't take more than one kind of EC. The active ingredients in ellaPlan B One-Step (and its generic forms) may counteract each other and make your EC ineffective.

Don’t take extra pills. They probably
won’t reduce your risk of pregnancy
any more than the recommended dose for emergency contraception.
But they will make it more likely you’ll feel sick to your
stomach (one of the more common side effects).

If you feel sick to your stomach, it should
be only mild nausea that goes away in a day or so.

If you throw up within an hour after taking the pills,
call your health care provider. You may need to repeat a dose,
and it might make sense to take some anti-nausea medication (Find
out more about side effects here).

If you have any other symptoms you are worried about,
contact your health care provider. Ask for an appointment right
away if you have:

Severe pain in your leg (calf or thigh)

Several abdominal pain

Chest pain or cough or shortness of breath

Severe headaches, dizziness, weakness, or numbness

Blurred or loss of vision or trouble speaking

Jaundice (if you see a yellowish tint in the whites of your
eyes, your skin, or your mucus membranes)

Your next period should start within the next month,
although it might come a few days early or late (find out more
here). If you don’t get your period
by the time you expect it, you might consider getting a pregnancy
test.

Start using a regular birth control method
you think you’ll be able to use every time you have sex
because that will be more
effective than relying only on emergency
contraception. And, if there’s any chance you could
be at risk of sexually transmitted infections, use a condom.

The table below lists all of the brands of oral contraception available
in the U.S. which you can use to prevent
pregnancy in the few days after
sex. For information about how to use a specific pill as an
emergency contraceptive,
click on the brand name in the table.

Looking for options for emergency contraceptive
pills in another country? Click
here.

Table
1. Oral contraceptives that can be used for emergency contraception
in the United Statesa

Notes:aella and the levonorgestrel EC products listed in the top section are dedicated products specifically
marketed for emergency contraception. The regular oral contraceptives listed above have been declared safe and
effective for use as ECPs by the United States Food and Drug Administration.
In the U.S., levonorgestrel EC, like Plan B One-Step and Take Action, is available on the shelf with no restrictions. ella is available by prescription only.

b Aftera is sold exclusively at CVS stores

c Afterpill is sold online at www.afterpill.com

d EContra EZ is sold at family planning clinics and online at www.kwikmed.com

e The progestin in Cryselle, Elinest, and Low-Ogestrel is norgestrel, which contains two isomers,
only one of which (levonorgestrel) is bioactive; the amount of norgestrel
in each tablet is twice the amount of levonorgestrel.